News Brief

5/12/2013, Sivan 3, 5773

New Emergency Program Against Locusts

Israel activated a new emergency program against locusts on Sunday. In addition to spraying infested local areas, the Minister of Agriculture sent an urgent letter to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, asking it to help Egypt spray its outbreak areas.

Miriam Freund, who manages the ministry's plant-protection service, estimated that this week could mark a turning point in the transition from ground spraying to the addition of aerial spraying as some of the locusts take to the air while others stay on the ground.